Former cricket pavilion for WWII prisoners undergoes £6m restoration

A former cricket pavillion will attempt to bowl over Yorkshire businesses with its £6m transformation into an office block.

Located on Bowcliffe Hall Estate, Wetherby, the grade II listed hall that once housed Italian prisoners of war during the Second World War, has been renovated into 1,120 sq ft of modern offices.

The single storey building, which was previously home to Braham Cricket Club, is the only known cricket pavilion in the UK to have initially been used as a troop dormitory.

The unique history of the building is profiled in the ‘The Pavilion Book of Pavilions’ by Jonathan Rice – the definitive guide to 50 of Britain’s most unusual cricket pavilions.

Suitable for a staff of around 12, the restored pavilion features a central reception area and modern kitchen facilities.

Tenants will also receive automatic membership of the exclusive Bowcliffe Drivers’ Club, which celebrates classic cars and evokes the romantic age of motoring.

Jonathan Turner, CEO of the Bayford Group, who spearheaded the restoration project, said: “The pavilion has an intriguing history and was literally moved from Pocklington, East Yorkshire, to its current site. We wanted to breathe new life into as a contemporary office space that we feel will appeal to a small business looking for very individual work space.”

Looking to promote your product/service to SME businesses in your region? Find out how Bdaily can help →